Kindness

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, haven't had much to say but have some fun stuff coming up soon. In the meantime, check out Kindness, a strange but funky bunch who like to cover old songs like Anita Dobson's 'Anyone Can Fall in Love', the theme from Eastenders! Go check it on their Myspace, it's beautiful. These guys are going to be huge in '10 so make sure you drop their name at all the upcoming Christmas parties, you coolsie fucks.

Ladyfest Melbourne

I'm a little late posting this as it kicked off last night, but the first Ladyfest Melbourne takes place over the next few days. There's some really cool stuff happening; I won't be able to make half of it but am going to try to get to the panel discussion on the Riot Grrl revolution and Australia's own female rock history on Saturday and then to the gig in the Workers Club that night featuring Partyline (Alison Wolfe from Bratmobile's new band). Partyline are also playing an all-ages gig (need more of those) on Sunday at Irene's Warehouse, along with HERRS, a girl rock band made up of ten year olds - brilliant! There really is a lot going on and the lesbos definitely deserve your support - check the full listings here.

Home Truths - 'Sup Magazine Belfast Takeover

This blog was and is supposed to be primarily centered around the Melbourne music scene, with diversions further afield as I see fit/to fill in the blanks. However, I want to take the liberty of bringing attention to a week-long feature in 'Sup Magazine focusing on the small but vibrant underground music scene in my former home of Belfast. Belfast, for such a small and parochial city has for the last 5-10 years produced some of the most striking, visceral and original bands I have come across. And in the last few years, elements that have been bubbling on the surface seem to have erupted and an actual exuberant scene of diverse but like-minded acts have come together to create, what seems to me thousands of miles away, the most interesting period for Belfast esoterics in a long, long time. I guess they were all just waiting for me to leave.

It may be that the attention lavished on my small but lovable former home and the people interviewed are dear friends of mine, is what makes these articles interesting to me. But hopefully if you are a Melbournian reader, you will get a kick out of this rare insight into the underground workings of a formerly-troubled city.

Part 1 focuses on the uber-cool lo-fi surf two-piece Girls Names and Part 2 on DIY gig collective Ordinary Days, whose head Dude, Mark Reid, gets top marks for surmising Belfast's scene - 'Luckily, not too many people in Belfast have the pretence of being hip so we can just get on with partying.'
Melbourne hipsters take note.

Yo La Tengo - Melbourne - Feb '10

May '06 - Primaverasound Music Festival - Barcelona
Night numero uno of my first visit to the imperious music festival in the greatest city in the world was mighty fun for the first few hours but somewhat of a slow-starter on the music front. Glimpses were caught of the Drones, No-Neck Blues Band and Why?, before new buddy Aggie and I decided to have some pseudo-ironic fun at Motorhead (I'm still not sure what they were doing on the bill). Fun turned into ridiculous, ultra-raucous boogeying amongst the hoards of leather-jacket wearers present at the fest for one night and one reason only, meaning that by time the 'Head had finished, we were well and truly pooped.

The huge steps a ways back from the main stage provided the perfect place to sit, have a few beers, recoup and easily watch the next band, whom neither me nor Aggie were entirely into - YLT. The next 45 minutes or so go down are some of the most overwhelming of my life. In my ignorance I was expecting some lofi indie-pop to pass the time until 2manydjs took the stage, what I got was a full-on aural assault, the pinnacle of which was the unleashing of then new track, 'Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind.' By the end of this 10-minute beast, during which time Ira Kaplan ripped his fender apart, slammed it into against and on top of a wall of Marshall stacks, while Georgie Hubley and James McNew continuously played the same beat (for ten minutes!), Aggie and I were giving each other genuine, sincere man-hugs at what we had just witnessed. This may sound corny as all fuck, but it really was that special.

And the point of all that is Yo La Tengo have just been announced they are playing Melbourne in February next year. Naturally I do not believe it will be as good as Barcelona in 2006, but when the band who is responsible for one of your all-time highpoints in life are coming to town, it's hard not to smile.

Happy weekend doods.

On/Off - Totes Deaf Fundraiser

There is something in the air in Melbourne these days. Spring is here and with it the fruition of exciting seeds sewn throughout the year – incredible new bands, huge celebrations of local music and an impending Summer exploding with all your favourite touring bands. Fitting snugly into this sanguine atmosphere is the opening of the On/Off Space on Johnston Street at the very beginning of 2010. The love-child of Jade McInally and Sarah Phelan from local electronic spooks the Tantrums and Kobi Simpson of Love Connection, the space will aim to be a local creative hub for Melbourne’s artistic endeavours. This Sunday the guys have arranged an epic line-up of local acts to raise funds for the space, dubbed ‘Totes Deaf.’ They kindly agreed to answer some questions about their plans and the benefit this weekend.

So how did you manage to become lease-holders for the On/Off space? Was it something you had planned to do for awhile or an opportunity that arose?

The opportunity arose when Kobi & Jade's friend Dylan, who they grew up with and went to school with decided to pass on the space. These three couldn't pass it up! Friends taking over friends! Keepin it in the family!

You officially ‘open’ on the 1st January 2010, what are your immediate plans for the space?

The space will be opening on the 1st as a rehearsal studio, art space and live music venue amongst friends with future plans for a recording space and other adventures.
Over the next few months, the currently vacant space will be transformed into a creative hub for local bands and artists to work, rehearse and share with similarly community-driven, emerging artists and musicians.

How about long-term plans, have you had time to think about what you would like the space to become or what role you would like it to play within the Melbourne music/artistic scene?

Long term this space will be a rehearsal studio, art space and live music space, however future plans for a recording studio and other artistic endeavors are also on the cards......anything is possible with this lovechild!
We are hoping that the studio will fill a much needed niche in the music & art scene that the community of Melbourne has been asking for!

You guys have close connections with bands like the Parking Lot Experiments, Rat vs. Possum, Tic Toc Tokyo and several others, often sharing bills and sometimes members – obviously these bands will be involved in the space but do you intend to reach out to other sections of the Melbourne scene as well?

Of course! As you have mentioned we have close connections with these bands, they are our friends, roomies, bandmates, homies etc and as you can imagine they will be around quite often, however the space will be welcomed and open to all who wish to join in. We hope to reach out to many different people not only in the Melbourne music scene, but community artists and musicians all over!

Are all events going to be run by you guys or will promoters be able to book the space for independent shows?

Many of the events will be on/off shows, however promoters, bands & bookers will also be able to showcase their music and art at our studio often!

Next Sunday is the big fundraiser, ‘Totes Deaf’, tell us about that.

In celebration of not only the impending opening of ON/OFF, but also of Melbourne's consistently-evolving, consistently-inspiring music scene, nineteen bands plus DJ's will face the harsh daylight/reality of Sunday afternoon for a massive show at the Tote to raise funds. 13 clams = 19 bands, split over both the Tote's band room and upstairs' Cobra Bar. Doors at 2pm til late, on Sunday the 1st of November, including FREE BBQ (early bird gets the sausage) and compilation CD for the first 100 people through the doors. Pace yourself over the weekend, because Sunday is going to be EPIC!!!

Bands that are playing -

Outrun
Bachelor Of Arts
The Emergency
Dick Diver
Rat Vs Possum
Gold Tango
Sharpie Crows (NZ)
East Brunswick All Girls Choir
Love Connection
Bon Chat Bon Rat (SYD)
Space Cactus
Lehmann B Smith Band
Psuche
Sloth Comet (Great Earthquake)
Yama Boy
Milk Teddy
TST
Off Pops
Ming the Merciless + Deformative + Children of the Wave + Talkshow Boy DJs

The line-up for Totes Deaf is something else, how difficult was it to organize? Were most bands that you approached happy to be involved?

Everyone we approached was more than happy to be involved which was really nice! We have many amazing friends who are playing and helping out on the day, so fortunately it has been relatively smooth sailing....though 19 bands is still a lot to organise! Kudos to jade on that one!

Who would you personally recommend people catch on the day?

Everyone!!! They are all so great in their own way, that's why we asked them to play, because we love every single one of them! You would be silly not too see all of this mega line up!

Finally, how excited/nervous/overwhelmed are you right now?

We are quite overwhelmed with how much we are doing and fitting into schedules with other projects also on the go, but very excited about the show on Sunday, the studio opening and the three of us living together and running amuck in a great way!

Thanks doods - you really are a fool if you're not at The Tote this Sunday, so don't be, pow!

Your Weekend

FRIDAY

Get down early for Caught Ship, they're new and sound totally class.

SATURDAY

Get down early, it's all totally class (and I'm playing tunes at 4.30).

SUNDAY
Take it easy, swoon -

Fievel - Go West - Free Download

Fievel are a Melbourne duo who make addictive electronic pop songs, using only a selection of samplers and live drums. They have very kindly made their new Ep, Go West, available to download and it's a beauty. Clearly influenced by the usual suspects from the Warp roster but also, to my ear anyway, acts like Cold Cave and Matthew Dear. So you get all the beats and squelches you would expect from those references but there is also something more plaintive and heartfelt here that you do not normally find in electronic music. A lot of this has to do with singer Tristan's voice, which whether falsetto-inflected on Tonight or strained almost to supplication on the sublime I Used To, carries something cathartic in it, and with the live drums, humanizes the songs. That is not to say that the instrumental tracks are robotic or sterile though, Swap Shop is a downtempo gem and Tumbleweed closes the Ep like the dreams of an exhausted child.

With releases from Love Connection, Rat vs. Possum and the Tantrums all due by the end of the year, it's an exciting time for esoteric sections of the Melbourne scene, but they're going to have to work hard to better this left-field sleeper. All in all, Fievel have quietly produced this year's Delays.

Download here and catch Fievel at Fermez la Bouche on the 17th October.